Mary Ellen "Myrt" Power

Mary Ellen "Myrt" Edwards Power, 85, beloved founder of The Cheese Shop, died Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Williamsburg, Virginia. Myrt died from complications of Alzheimer's. She was surrounded by family and friends the last five days of her life. Myrt died on Father's Day morning and we realized she was finally with her father again, after 76 years apart. She was only nine when he died unexpectedly. It was bitter sweet with bitter relief.

There are few of us who exemplify love and kindness more than Myrt Power did. She was the beloved wife of Tom Power and they were married 56 years. In 2017, the couple received William & Mary’s prestigious Prentis Award. Standing in the Great Hall, after receiving the award from President Taylor Reveley, surrounded by hundreds of family and friends, Tom was proud, full of emotion and stated, "The smartest thing I ever did in my life was to marry Mary Ellen Edwards." Myrt was adored by her husband, three children and six grandchildren. Myrt was loved and respected by thousands of employees in her five decades as a business owner. Myrt had a unique ability to make every employee feel important. She had a joyful sense of humor, she was generous, always thoughtful and loving. Myrt and Tom opened four successful businesses over five decades: The Cheese Shop, Fat Canary, The Wine Cellar and The Trellis.

Myrt encouraged and supported Tom's entrepreneurial spirit when they opened their first small business in 1971. She was 31 and he was 36. Myrt intended to help Tom in a part-time way but they soon realized, together their ideas and efforts were more powerful. Myrt and Tom offered imported cheeses from Europe and, although it was not popular yet, they knew wine was the perfect complement, so they began the process of obtaining an ABC license. At that time, only restaurants in Virginia could sell wine. They were the first "retail" business in Virginia to receive an ABC license.

Myrt didn't invent the sandwich but in 1971, she perfected it. Utilizing the high-quality products sold in their shop, Myrt concocted a sauce. She called it House Dressing and it was the perfect condiment for the sandwiches she made for her family and customers. Myrt's first sandwich was made with freshly baked French bread, Emmentaler Alpine cheese from Switzerland, German Salami from Usinger of Milwaukee and House Dressing. Myrt's sandwiches and House Dressing, five decades later, are now legendary in Williamsburg and the surrounding regions. The first shop was located in Warwick Shopping Center in Newport News. The work was hard and the customers were few. Their three children joined them after elementary school and on weekends to help out. It was the hospitality that Myrt and Tom exhibited to everyone who walked in the first small shop that sustained their business until they opened a second location, in 1973, in Colonial Williamsburg's Merchants Square. The new Williamsburg shop was 600 square feet on Prince George Street and soon became a staple for William & Mary students, faculty and locals. The success of The Cheese Shop enabled Myrt and Tom to partner with John Curtis and Marcel Desaulniers to open The Trellis Restaurant in 1980. The Trellis was the first New American dining restaurant in Virginia and won many awards over the years. Myrt and Tom sold their interest in The Trellis in 1994. In 1986, their daughter, Cathy, joined The Cheese Shop business full time and she was an integral partner in building the brand for the next 36 years. In 2000, Myrt and Tom's son and daughter, Thomas and Mary Ellen, returned to the family business full-time, after many years of working for other fine dining restaurants and businesses around the country. In 2003 Myrt, Tom and their three adult children relocated The Cheese Shop to a 9,000 square foot location on Duke of Gloucester Street. In addition to the famous Cheese Shop, the Power family opened The Wine Cellar, offering 1000s of wines from around the world. At the same time, they opened Fat Canary, a fine dining restaurant, where their son, Thomas, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, was and still is executive chef. Since opening, Fat Canary has been awarded OpenTable's Top 100 Best Restaurants in America and AAA's Four Diamond every year. In 2005, the City of Williamsburg Economic Development Authority presented the first annual Business Appreciation Award to The Cheese Shop and Fat Canary. The EDA award recognizes a city business for its hard work and dedication to making the city a better place to live, work and visit. In 2020, Downstairs at Fat Canary opened, a casual dining experience located next to The Wine Cellar and below Fat Canary's fine dining room.

Myrt was born March 29, 1940 in Norfolk, Virginia. Her parents, William Mortimer Edwards Sr. and Mary Roland Edwards, grew up in Washington, DC. After marrying, they moved to Norfolk and founded Edwards - Councilor Company, now a third generation Edwards family business that provides sanitizing products to restaurants, hospitals and schools in all 50 states. Myrt was the youngest child of three. Her brothers are William Mortimer Edwards Jr. and Thomas Roland Edwards. Myrt's family grew up in Norfolk's Colonial Place neighborhood, where she attended Stuart Elementary and Norfolk Catholic High School. The Edwards family was athletic, musical and well-loved in the community. Myrt's father died unexpectedly in 1949 and her mother continued to operate the family business; she was a pioneer business woman. While her mother operated the business, Myrt spent summers with her Roland aunts, uncles and cousins in Boston and Washington, DC. Myrt's favorite cousin was Frances Roland O’Connor. Those summers together made them more like sisters and the friendship lasted all of their lives. Myrt attended Mary Washington College, where she studied physical education. She was on the synchronized swim team and the gymnastics team. In 1960, when Myrt was a student at Mary Washington College, Tom Power was a US Marine at nearby Quantico and he asked her out on a date. Myrt and Tom married August 26, 1961, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and began their lives together in Norfolk, where they had their first daughter, Mary Ellen Jr., and then moved to Baltimore in 1963 where Cathy and Thomas Jr. were born. The family moved back to Virginia in 1969 and began to plan the opening of their first small business.

Myrt loved music and she loved to dance. She won dance competitions in high school and college. When Myrt was a senior in high school, she was voted “Most Popular.” Myrt loved swimming, high board diving, tennis, water skiing, snow skiing and boating. She loved cooking at her home and she was happiest when she was with family. Myrt was a self-taught merchandiser. She designed fixtures for the business and had them built to her specifications. Myrt had an aptitude for numbers. She could analyze and problem solve, she was the backbone of the family business, she established accounting, inventory, and employee relation practices that the business still uses 54 years later. Myrt and Tom were visionary leaders in the specialty food and restaurant industry. They knew and promoted good food, good wine and hospitality. In 2016, Myrt and Tom were inducted into the Specialty Food Association Hall of Fame at the San Francisco conference. Myrt was understated, she never called attention to herself, she always promoted and encouraged others to shine in the spotlight. Myrt was a supporter of many community nonprofits: Hospice House of Williamsburg, Williamsburg Community Foundation, Child Development Resources and Dream Catchers (equine-assisted services for children and adults).

Myrt is preceded in death by her husband, Tom Power. Myrt is also preceded in death by one brother, William Edwards, three Power brothers-in-law Edward (Elinor), Jack (Dot and Betty) and James (Linda), cousin Fran O'Connor and two nephews John Edwards and Bill Power.

Myrt leaves behind her sister-in-law, Faye Winfield Edwards and her brother Thomas Roland Edwards and his wife Petra. Myrt leaves behind her children, Mary Ellen Power, Cathy Power Pattisall (John) and Thomas Power and her beloved and beautiful grandchildren: Cole, Payton, Johanna, Keely, Ryan and Jackson. Myrt leaves behind her daughter-in-law, Tobi, mother of Cole and Payton. Myrt leaves behind ten Edwards nieces and nephews (Patricia, Bobby, Morts, Charlie, Erin, Tom, Patrick, Sarah, Michael and Justin) and ten Power nieces and nephews (Ed, Anne, Barrie, Alice, John, Beth, Patty, Jane, Carol and Susan).

Myrt's celebration of life will be held August 4, 2025 at 3 PM at The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, 520 Richmond Road, Williamsburg. The family would appreciate acknowledgments of Myrt's memory by contributing to one of the following local organizations: Hospice House of Williamsburg, Williamsburg Community Foundation, Child Development Resources and Dream Catchers.